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Re: best method to catch tilapia

nah mate use a hook full of garden worms....i have got em in the summer on lures thou...good fight the biguns are....i had a few on saltwter prawns aswell.....in the summer i use a float somtimes but i would think they would be up top sunbakin in the winter?...have you guys ever googled tilapia? check it out...

Re: best method to catch tilapia

Yeh I do a bit of bow fish'n. Just check you rules ad regs before you go.
In QLD, bow fishing is reguarded as spear fishing and as such total illegal
in fresh water and within salt water creeks and rivers.

Re: best method to catch tilapia

A couple remarks.
They actively feed with water above +15C, below that not very active, the higher water temp the better.

A lot of them die during cold spell and also in spring after they spawn.

Fishing.
They do take worms and prawns. I use a large freshwater prawn, peel it put on the hook of appropriate size, than a running sinker, after casting use hands to tighten the line until you can feel the sinker and than either use an alarm or hang a bit of dough on the line between the guides so the line is tight. When the fish bites dough goes up and you strike.
This works well in colder season, and the advantage is that you get also other fish.

When it is warm they prefer dough. In here you just buy ready mixed one (like 20 different types to choose) add water and kneed.
If not available you can mix:
1 boiled potato,
couple slices of bread,
some flour,

Soak the bread in water, than squeeze the water out add potato, mix and kneed, add flour to the right consistency.
Adding a bit of shrimp powder helps a lot (or a few minced peeled shrimps).
Also a bit of red food coloring helps.

This dough has to be as soft as possible. It just has to stay on the hook.

Rig: I use a rod with a reel (most of the locals use a pole type rod without reel).
Main line 0.18mm, leader 0.15, hook large enough to put a large piece of dough (dia. 1.5-2cm) on, very delicate float, all set so the dough ball on the hook lies on the bottom.

Find a place 2-4 meters deep without snags on the bottom, make some burley by mixing soaked bread and boiled potatoes, throw a couple handfuls into the place and try your luck.
Throw more burley every hour or so.